First minister John Swinney today faced criticism that falling teacher numbers are leading to a spike in behaviour problems in schools.
In a rare day when education took the spotlight at First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Conservatives leader Russell Findlay said: “The truth is fewer teachers are being expected to do more and more and this is fuelling a collapse in discipline in our schools.”
There had been almost 45,000 recorded incidents of violence and abuse over the course of a year, he said, in reference to recent figures gathered under freedom of information by the GMB union.
Earlier this week, national data showed a year-on-year drop in the number of teachers of more than 600, despite a Scottish government promise to increase teacher numbers by 3,500.
Sexual intimidation ‘routine’ in schools
Mr Findlay said: “One teacher told me that female pupils and teachers routinely suffer sexual intimidation and even violence. As a parent, I would be worried, it would make my blood boil - frankly, I would be on the warpath.”
He called on the first minister to “crackdown on the behaviour of the minority who are ruining it for the majority”.
The Scottish government, Mr Swinney said in response, had already set out action to be taken on behaviour in schools.
“Let me make it absolutely crystal clear that any of the behaviour Mr Findlay has recounted to Parliament today, which I know does take place in our schools, is completely and utterly intolerable within our schools,” Mr Swinney said.
“But what I cannot allow Mr Findlay to do is to denigrate the achievements made by our educators in our schools.”
Meanwhile, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar used his slot at FMQs to highlight a record number of pupils with additional support needs (ASN), despite the number of ASN teachers having fallen over a number of years.
He also highlighted figures this week showing that 40 per cent of secondary students are persistently absent from school.
Mr Sarwar said: “Education was supposed to be this government’s top priority but it’s clear John Swinney and the SNP have failed.”
Call for ‘radical reform’ of Scottish education
Scottish Labour education spokesperson Pam Duncan-Glancy also grilled Mr Swinney during FMQs, highlighting comments made in The Herald - in response to its series of articles on ASN this week - by children and young people commissioner Nicola Killean, who said that “children are being let down” by an education system that needs “radical reform”.
Responding to Mr Sarwar, the first minister said that the government had this week announced an extra £29 million for ASN and £40 million for teacher employment.
Mr Swinney said: “I don’t accept what Mr Sarwar has set out and the measures the government is taking are having a positive impact on the attainment of children and young people in our education system.
“A record number of pupils are going on to university after school, including those from the most deprived communities.”
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